


Interpretation is Key

by Aupaiste



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Chuck Lives, M/M, POV Outsider, Slightly Cracky?, for the kink meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-21
Packaged: 2017-12-27 05:00:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aupaiste/pseuds/Aupaiste
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the Pacific Rim Kink Meme: </p>
<p>"...a Chuck lives AU where Chuck wants a relationship with Raleigh, who is pretty much oblivious. Herc notices, and because he knows Chuck is clueless at wooing anyone, decides to give him some advice.</p>
<p>Except Chuck, being Chuck, manages to mess it all up."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interpretation is Key

**Author's Note:**

> The full prompt can be viewed [ here ](http://pacificrimkink.livejournal.com/2747.html?thread=3522747#t3522747)
> 
> More notes at the end of the fic.

Hercules Hansen can admit to himself that he was never the greatest example of a father. He was more ‘tough love’ than ‘touchy-feely’. He never really knew how to show his kid that he was proud or that he loved him, and certainly never said either out loud. Besides – they drifted, so he expected Chuck knew.

Given that and his shaky upbringing, it stands to reason that when Chuck developed feelings for someone, he didn’t have any idea how to tell them. Or how to show them, or how to even hint that he had feelings for them. He was completely and utterly hopeless when it came to asking for attention and affection.

When Raleigh Becket was brought to the HK Shatterdome, Herc had spent a few days wondering to himself why Chuck was acting… not like Chuck. He was more aggressive and confrontational, he would occasionally stutter over his words, and sometimes he wouldn’t say anything, choosing to just outright glare at Raleigh. None of which was quite normal behaviour for the younger Hansen. Of course, it made sense after they’d gotten into a fight just outside the Marshall’s office and Chuck walked away with bruises and a blush.

Herc wanted his son to be happy, and if Raleigh would make him happy, he wanted his son to go after that potential. So, Hercules Hansen resolved to sit down with Chuck, and have a talk about how to… woo somebody.

_1\. Spend time with them one-on-one_

When Herc gave his son courting advice, he figured the first, and most obvious step would be to spend some time with the object of his affections, to get to know them better. When he suggested this to Chuck, he assumed it would result in an invitation to dinner, or maybe lunch – something casual enough that Raleigh could start to see that maybe Chuck’s feelings for him were not antagonistic.

Of course, with Chuck being… Chuck, that was not how it went down.

What actually happened, Herc learned later, was that Chuck had invited Raleigh to a sparring session. Actually, it was more of a rematch for the fight they'd had outside Stacker's office. Herc had found the invitation still taped to Raleigh's door.

_Meet me in the kwoon and we'll see who comes out on top, has-been. -CH_

Herc sighed. Time for another talk with Chuck.

_2\. Compliments_

The next step, Herc thought, was compliments. Making sure that whoever it was knew that you were interested by telling them you like things about them, and eventually that you like them.

Herc thought that this one, Chuck would get right. After all, how hard is it to give someone a compliment?

Apparently, when you’re as emotionally stunted as the Hansen boys, the answer is _very_.

Herc was witness to his son’s attempt at following his second piece of advice – it went down in the mess hall about a week after the double event when they’d lost Crimson and Cherno.

Chuck and Herc were sitting at a table together, Herc having just been released from medical, when Raleigh walked by, looking for Mako.

“Hey, Raleigh!” Chuck had yelled at Raleigh’s back.

“Yeah?” he’d replied, walking back toward their table.

“Just… you weren’t _completely_ horrible out there the other day. Even if Herc and I are still the best, you weren’t the worst… for a has-been.” With that, he took his tray and hurried out of the mess, leaving behind a confused-looking Raleigh.

Herc was starting to think this was hopeless.

_3\. Pay attention to them_

Herc didn’t really have time to talk to Chuck again about Raleigh until after the breach was closed, and after he was mostly healed. When Chuck was recovering, Raleigh would visit him, and Herc was confident the boys were becoming something like friends.

So, Herc gave his son one final piece of advice – it was simple enough, he thought: pay attention to your potential partner to find out what they like, and what they don’t like. Pay attention to them so that you can find out what you have in common – maybe do something that makes them happy. Easy, right?

Except, apparently, Chuck had interpreted “pay attention to” as “needlessly glare at”, and took to glowering at Raleigh whenever he was in the same room as Chuck; he watched him like a hawk from the moment he entered the room, to the moment he left. 

Which was obviously making Raleigh uncomfortable. Raleigh would twitch and flick his gaze to Chuck every so often, his eyes big and pleading, as if asking Chuck what he did wrong, and how to fix it. When no answer was forth coming, Raleigh always made a hasty exit from the room, away from the… away from Chuck.

It was after one particularly painful-to-watch glowering session that Chuck decided to speak up. They were, once again, in the mess, and Chuck was watching Raleigh’s back disappear out the door. 

“I don’t get it. I’ve done everything you said, Old Man. I did the fighting thing, and the complimenting thing, and now this. None of it’s working – you said this would work.”

Herc watched as his son stomped his way out of the mess, clearly frustrated with the lacklustre results of his… courting.

Herc, tired of watching his son’s attempts, decided he’d have to talk to Raleigh about it later.

_4\. If all else fails… just tell him!_

Herc went to find Raleigh later that same day, and asked him about his feelings for Chuck. When Raleigh spluttered and reddened, he knew that Chuck at least had a chance.

“Listen, about Chuck’s behaviour lately… He’s a good kid, y’know? Doesn’t know when to quit, sometimes, the stubborn drongo, but a good kid. And he’s been trying to… court you.”

“Court me!?” was Raleigh’s startled reply. “He’s been staring daggers at me for weeks! I thought I’d done something… Why didn’t he just _tell me_?”

“He’s emotionally stunted, but he has been trying to, in his own way. And it might be partially my fault. Go easy on him. And if you hurt him, mate. Just remember, I know where you sleep.”

Raleigh nodded once, looking solemn, then walked away.

…

The next morning when Herc went to go check on his son, he found both boys fast asleep. Raleigh was lying on his back on Chuck’s bed, with Chuck cuddled up to his chest, a slight smile on his face.

Herc was glad that for once, his advice had worked.

**Author's Note:**

> Uhm, yeah. So, this is actually the first fanfiction I've ever written for anything ever. I just needed more of this pairing stat. This movie, man. It's taken over my life. Anyway. Concrit is welcomed, is encouraged, will be cuddled and loved. Please to be leaving some?


End file.
